concrete Posted February 26, 2003 Report Share Posted February 26, 2003 I recently got a young dog returned that I sold as an 8 week old pup to a pet home. Two weeks after I sold the puppy the new owner called and said the pup had fallen off the bed, caught it's rear leg between the mattress and box spring and broke it's growth plate. It was going to cost $2000.00 for the surgery to fix the dog and by the way the vet said the puppy had mild hip dysplasia and could she get her $300 back. I told her to send me a letter from the vet and I would refund her money. I got a copy of the vet bill with a hand written note on it saying the dog was found to have hip dysplasia and a surgical procedure was performed to correct the problem while other repairs where done. I refunded her money and made a note to stay away from this vet. The procedure performed was a Pubic Symphysiodesis. A year later the owner called and said the dog was more than she could handle and would I please take her back. I picked her up later that day and I have her now. I have two other pups from the same litter here that are well started and will at least make good farm dogs. I work them 4 or 5 days a week and they show no symtoms of CHD. Both parents have had their hips x-rayed (before they were bred) by my vet and have good hips. They show no symptoms of CHD and work for me everyday. Three other pups from the same litter are in working homes and doing very good. This bitch is very keen to work. Shows some talent and I've started her on sheep. I don't want to rehome her in a pet home and I'm wondering about the ethics of placing her in a working home. Does anybody have any experience with this procedure? What do you think about selling this dog as a farm dog? I would of course be honest about the dogs medical history. Kevin Brannon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PrairieFire Posted February 26, 2003 Report Share Posted February 26, 2003 Well, Kevin, I can' help with the procedure, maybe someone else here can...but my thoughts are pretty simple... As you (may) have found out - statistically, any dog can have "hip" problems, no matter how the parents and siblings rate - if this dog truly did have problems. But I would ask what exactly IS "mild" hip dysplasia? Where is that on the scale of "approved and accepted" ratings by the OFA? And maybe have another xray shot and evaluated...and get a report from an orthopod you trust. But, all that said, when you find out as much information as you can, and share all that information with a prospective buyer - no matter what it is - I would feel you were being ethical - you just might need to adjust the price to fit the "expected working life" though - IF it is affected by this procedure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dot me not Posted February 26, 2003 Report Share Posted February 26, 2003 Hi Kevin, Sounds like the owner just didn't want to fool with the dog anymore. Is the dog sound now? How does the leg look now? I've seen growth plate injuries that resulted in the leg just not growing at all anymore, leaving the dog with a short, stumpy leg. (But not necessarily a painful one.) If she's sound now and continues to stay sound with work then I'd have no problem with her going to a working home. Even if she weren't 100% sound, there's still the good possibility of getting her in a working home where someone just needs help with a few sheep instead of dozens or hundreds of them. I'd have some very serious reservations about a vet that diagnosed mild hip displasia at approx. 10 weeks of age (if I read the timeline in your post correctly). This would be especially true if there was a known injury involved like this pup had. At ten weeks those joints all look loose and weird. Have there been any other pics of her hips taken since the origional injury? Lydia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
concrete Posted February 26, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2003 I've moved this dog to one of my covered kennels because she's got about a 5' vertical leap and I'm afraid she'll be climbing out of a 6' kennel soon. You wouldn't know she had a problem unless I told you. When I went to pick her up the former owner tried to give me $100 because the dog had never had anymore shot's after leaving here and needed a rabies shot. She said it was around $120 to take her Labrador in to get shots. I told her to get a new vet. Mine is coming out on March 10 to give my Horses West Nile and he will do the dog while he's here for $10. She's a great dog. It looks like she's going to be like her sister and the challenge is going to be to stay out of the way and let her learn to work. Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dot me not Posted February 27, 2003 Report Share Posted February 27, 2003 I know what you mean about dogs going vertical. My Jae could stand flat footed and make it to the top of a 6ft run. Of course, that's how she got out and got under the wheels of my truck. Now 2 major surgeries on her rear leg later she can still stand flat footed and clear 3 1/2 ft on three legs! Depending on how that thing keeps healing she may eventually get back to 6ft. It's a mixed blessing, for sure! Good luck with her. Lydia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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